Dental appliance



March 3, 1931. F. c. SCADDING 1,795,098

DENTAL APPLIANCE Filed Jan. 26, 1928 P g- Frederick c. Smddins Inventor- WM/M Attorneys Patented Mar. 3, 1.931

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DENTAL APPLIANCE Application filed. January 26, 1928. Serial No. 248,625.

This invention relates to dental appliances and has a special reference to a new and improved brushing device for the teeth usable either by professional dentists or in the home, 5 and serving to provide a scouring movement upon the teeth which shall be more efiicacious than other movements in removing tartar, mucin and other deposits, and this without injury to the teeth or gums. It is well known that a simple reciprocating movement of a brush horizontally past the teeth is injurious to the teeth, as tending to undercut them at the gums, and is also of little avail in removing accretions from the most important places which are between the adjacent teeth. ovement parallel to the teeth is more eflicacious, but the best movement of all is a sort of circular scouring motion containing both vertical and transverse components. The objects of this invention are the provision of a simple and inexpensive device for accomplishing this, and the provision of a simple, and inexpensive dental hand-piece which shall produce rotating movement of a circular brush combined with axial reciprocation thereof. 4

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application I have illus-v trated a simple embodiment of my invention wherein Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a dental hand-piece embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a left-hand end elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. ,1; and F ig. 4 illustrates a specimen domestic installation of the same.

The entire outfit comprises an electric motor 1, or other power source equipped with a flexible shaft 2 located as usual in such cases inside a flexible tubular sheath 3. To the end of this sheath is attached the body of my improved hand-piece which comprises an interiorly cylindrical tube 4 having at its forward end the bushing 5 formed with the exteriorly tapered nose 6. .Journaled inside this tube are'two companion cylindrical members 7 and 8 respectively, formed at their engaging ends with interengaging telescoping connections of some kind permitting relative longitudinal movement while compelling the two to rotate simultaneously. In the presentembodiment this is accomplished by a semi-cylindrical extension 9 on each member overlapping a similar extension of the other member.

The member 8, which is adjacent to the outer extremity of the hand-piece, is provided with a suitable socket 10 in which is screwed the end of a brush spindle 11 which projects rotatably and slidably through the ore of the brushing 5 and has its pro ecting end provided with suitable radial bristles 12. I have here shown a brush of cylindrical shape having its axial dimension reater than its diameter, this being ordinarily the most convenient for domestic use; but it is obvious that any kind of brush may be employed.

The adjacent surfaces of the member 8 and tube 4 are provided, the one with a cam groove 7 15 and the other with a radial fin er 16 engaging said groove. Preferably t e groove is formed in the exterior of the member 8 and the finger may conveniently be formed on the end of a screw 17 mounted in the wall of the tube 4. Suitable means is also employed to hold the member 7 against longitudinal movement while permitting free rotation, this being accomplished in the present embodiment by means of a circumferential groove 18 in the member 7 and engaged by' the inner ends of screws 19 mounted in the tube wall. As the flexible shaft 2 is rotated the brush 12 is both rotated and vibrated axially.

I have shown a projecting round-faced shield 20 overhanging the brush at one side to hold the cheeks or tongue of the user or patient away from the rotating brush, this shield having a socket 21 secured to the exterior of the bushing 5. For domestic use it is desirable to have the motor 1 so mounted that it can be located upon one side or the other of the user to facilitate application to different parts of the teeth. In Fig. 4 I have shown hooks 2424 mounted in the chamber wall upon opposite sides of the wash-bowl 25 to enable the motor to be located where most convenient.

It will be understood that changes in details and constructions may be made within the scope of my inventive idea.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: I v

1. Tooth-brushing mechanism comprising in combination a handle, a rotatable spindle journaled therein, a circular bristle-brush carried by said spindle, means for connect: ing said spindle to a constantly-rotating shaft, and means for imparting to said spindle an endwise reciprocating movement when rotated.

2. In a tooth brush, a handapiece, aspindle carried by and projecting from said hand-piece, a circular brush carried by the projecting part of said spindle, and means for imparting to said spindle a uniform rotating movement, and means within said hand-piece for superposing upon said rotating movement an endwlse reciprocating movement.

- 3. In a tooth brush, a hand-piece, a spindle mounted in said hand-piece forrotating and reciprocating movement, a brush device carriedby said spindle, a driving device carried by said hand-piece, connections between said driving device and spindle whereby said spindle is revolved, means for revolving said driving device constantly in one direction, and means inside said hand-piece operative upon such revolution to reciprocate said brush longitudinally.

4. In a tooth brush, a flexible sheath, a

flexible shaft therein, means for driving said 7 shaft,'a hand-piece secured to the end of said sheath, a rotating element inside said hand-piece connected to said shaft, a spindle carried b andprojecting from said handpiece, a rush carried by said spindle, operative connections between said element and spindle whereby thelatter is rotated, and interfitting cam-elements carried b said hand-piece and one of the parts inside the same whereby said spindle is reciprocated longitudinally when said element is rotated. 5. In a tooth brush, in combination, a hol-' low cylindrical shell, a nose bearing at one end thereof, a spindle journaled therein, a ronndbrush carried by said spindle beyond 7 said nose bearing, a cylindrical element secured to said s indle inside said shell, the adjacent faces 0 said shell and element being formed, the one with a cam oove and the other with a projection locate in said oove, a second cylindrical element journale inside said shell, means holding said last element against lengthwise movement, means for rotating said last element,"and a longitu dinally sliding driving connection between said elements.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

- FREDERICK o. SCADDING.

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